Stargate SG-1: Mission to Abydos
by phillip.madsen.52
Summary: Colonel O'Neill is recalled back into active duty. Thanks to the fact that Stargate was activated at the SGC. Knowing full well this would happen again. But what he never knew or didn't know was that Captain Carter- O'Neill was going to be assigned to the SG-1. I will be trying to do chapters for this story of every SG-1 episode all the way to the end of Season 8.
1. Stargate SG-1: Mission to Abydos

"Sir, there's a ladder over here."

Jack O'Neill sat with his four-year-old daughter, Emily, on the roof of his cabin using his telescope to stargaze when a portly man in an Air Force uniform came up the ladder.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill?" The major asked.

"Retired," Jack sighed

"I'm Major Samuels."

"Air Force? Major, you should really think about getting yourself transferred to NASA instead. That's where all the action's going to be," said O'Neill.

"Yes, sir. I'm General Hammond's Executive Officer," Samuels informed him unmoving. "I'm under orders to bring you to see him, sir."

"Never heard of him." Jack gave the barrel-chested man a long stare.

"He replaced General West. He says it's important. It has to do with the Stargate."

That got Jack's attention.

**SG-1**SG-1**

They stepped into the elevator at the SGC and waited in silence while they went down to level twelve.

"Please sign in, sir. We have to take another elevator the rest of the way down now," Samuels informed O'Neill.

"I know. I have heard this before," Jack said sarcastically.

"This way, please."

Jack's mind was reeling. He'd been taken down to the morgue where he'd seen some very dead aliens that he hadn't recognized. Then Samuels had led him along some more corridors, taken him on another elevator ride and now they were standing in front of a metal door. They knocked and waited for an answer. After a short wait the door opened.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill, sir."

"_Retired_," Jack emphasized. "Yeah, see that? I'm starting to get my thoughts together. Been thinking of writing a book about my self in the line of duty, or I might just relax in my retirement."

"You really thinking of doing something like that?" Asked Hammond.

"I could, but I'd have to kill every person that reads it." Jack crossed his arms, smiling, noting the man's serious face. "That was a joke, sir. The past twelve years have been classified and I'm not allowed to talk about it." He switched his weight to his other foot. "Major Samuels said something about the Stargate?"

"Straight to business, I see." Hammond said. "That I can do. Follow me." They went down the stairs into the gate room. "Well, the gate seems to have become unburied now." Hammond said.

In front of the gate sat what was obviously a bomb.

"You're sending another bomb through?" O'Neill asked horrified.

"Yes, we intend to make sure who-or whatever-is not able to come through again. Unless you can give me another reason why I shouldn't, we will proceed." Hammond crossed his arms. "Well I'm waiting."

"Sir, I have some bad news to tell you." The older man put his weight on his other foot. "Dr. Jackson is very alive and well. He's living on Abydos."

"You lied in your report to us? Why?"

"The people of Abydos are no threat to this planet."

"Well the four dead people in the infirmary tell me otherwise. And so do those aliens that you looked at earlier." The general's eyebrows creased in anger.

"Sir, you can't…"

"Oh, I can't? I follow orders and that isn't much of what you seem to have been doing before! Airman... Take O'Neill to a holding room until I can figure out what to do with him," barked out Hammond.

**Holding room**

"Colonel O'Neill, Sir," Kawalsky said as he entered the room.

I'm retired, Kawalsky. Lose the salute," Jack sighed.

"Feretti and I didn't tell them anything," he stated.

"I appreciate that," Jack smiled.

"Hey, those kids on Abydos saved my life, too. What was the name of that kid that always followed you around saluting?"

"Skarra was his name. Funny thing is he reminded me a lot of my own son."

"Colonel, I never knew you had a son," the other man said, a bit perplexed.

"Died before the Abydos mission," he mumbled and looked away, a bit uncomfortable.

"So sorry to hear that," Kawalsky said, trying to shake off the heavy air that now filled the room.

General Hammond entered the holding room. "How many people would you have said were on Abydos?"

"I'd say about 1000 to 3000 people that we saw. Does this mean you're rethinking your decision?"

"Yes. That's what I'm saying."

"Sir, let me take a team through the gate. Kawalsky and I know the lay of the land there."

"For all you know Dr Jackson could be dead. You could be walking into a trap. I can't take that risk." Hammond frowned.

"How about sending a probe through the gate to make sure?"

"Get them to send the probe from MIT right away."

Sir, we don't need it."

"We don't?" Kawalsky asked?

"No, this will do." Jack says.

"May I ask what you are doing, Colonel?" Hammond said staring in consternation at the box of tissues O'Neill was holding.

"Daniel has allergies. He'll know that this is from me and not someone like you, sir, with all due respect."

"I get it," Kawalsky said nodding.

"Sir, permission to take a team through the Stargate?" Asked Jack as eventually the empty frost-covered box came flying back through the gate.

**SG-1**SG-1**

_Briefing room._

"Carter?" Hammond asked.

"Just arriving, sir." Samuels said.

"I'm assigning Sam Carter to this mission," Hammond said turning to the newly reinstated Colonel.

"I'd prefer to put together my own team, sir," Jack argued hoping against hope that the Sam Carter the general had just mentioned wasn't the person he was thinking about.

"Not this mission. Sorry. Carter's our expert on the Stargate," Hammond said.

"And she's come straight from the Pentagon." A female voice called from the door.

Jack looked up in shock. "Oh god," he said.

After the briefing O'Neill and Carter sat in Hammond's office.

"So where's Sarah Carter-O'Neill?" Sam asked Colonel O'Neill.

"She's with an airman but Kawalsky's watching her. When'd you get here?" He asked.

"About two hours ago. I was going to stop by home after this but I didn't know you were here."

"I was called in to ID some of the aliens."

Hammond entered and sat at his desk and looked at the pair.

"The President has ordered that you two are allowed to work together. And as for your daughter, I understand that she is home schooled so she has been given presidential permission to be on this base."

Jack and Sam both nodded and left to get ready for the mission.

After leaving Hammond's office they walked towards the supplies office.

"Dammit, Sam, what are you doing here?" He sighed.

"Nice to see you too, Jack. Captain Samantha Carter, sir." Sam said saluting O'Neill.

"You two know each other?" Hammond asked as he came up behind them.

"If you looked at her file, sir, you'd know how," Jack said.

"I know that you're going back to Abydos. I'm going with you, and you might as well just deal with it, Colonel," Sam retorted.

"Oh great. Just what I don't need along on this damn mission you telling me what to do every step of the way." He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Why would I do that, sir?"

"Oh? Why would you do that? I'll tell you why." His voice rose. "You seem to tell me what to do every time! This time might as well not be any different then!"

"How dare you talk to me that way," Sam hissed.

"Under my command, Captain, I will talk to you however I see fit. And if you don't like it, then that's just too damn bad," he growled.

"Dammit, Colonel O'Neill, I can see you haven't changed one bit!" Sam stated.

"No I haven't, Carter and to be very frank with you I don't need some scientist telling me what I can or can't do on this mission," said O'Neill.

"Let me make something very clear to the both of you, Colonel and Captain," Hammond growled making them jump. They'd been so caught up with their argument they'd forgotten he was there." You are the mission commander, Colonel, and you will comport yourself accordingly. You, Captain, will follow your commanding officer's orders without question. And both of you will leave your private life at home. Do I make myself clear?"

"Fine, sir," they both said.

Looking back at Sam with a glare in his eyes Jack just knew she was going to screw the mission up one away another.

"Colonel O'Neill," Hammond said.

"Sir?" Asked O'Neill

"Follow orders this time and bring Dr. Jackson back."

"Yes, sir," O'Neill replied.


	2. Stargate SG-1: Mission to Abydos II

"Oh... I think I'm going to be sick. Uhhh..." Carter said as she clutched her stomach as she stepped out of the Stargate.

"Maybe you shouldn't have had that big lunch." O'Neill said as he patted her on the shoulder.

The soldiers fanned out, checking the area. The chamber seemed to be empty. As they moved a few paces away from the Gate, however, a young boy jumped out from behind a column, pointing a gun at them.

Others appeared on all sides, aiming their weapons at the same time. O'Neill turned as a group of three popped out from another column, but then someone familiar stepped in their path.

"Cha'hari! Cha'hari! Lower your guns," the tall blue-eyed man said as he stepped between the two groups. The defenders obeyed and O'Neill turned to stare at Daniel.

"Jack? Uh... Welcome back," Daniel said with a smile.

O'Neill didn't reply as he walked towards him. He hugged him. "I missed you Danny," he laughed.

As Jack put him down, he glanced over to the side as someone immediately grabbed his attention.

Standing beside Daniel a boy saluted and grinned, which Jack returned, "Skaara."

"O'Neill." Skaara said as they hugged glad to see each other.

"I did not think to be seeing you again!" Skaara said happily.

Jack turned to Daniel. "So how are you doing?"

"Uh, good. You?" Daniel asked, happy to see his friend again.

"Much better, now that I see that everybody's okay," Jack said as he looked around at the group of defenders

"Greetings from Earth, Dr. Jackson," Ferretti said.

"Hello, Ferretti." Daniel grinned.

"Brought you a little something, Daniel," Kawalsky said as he handed Daniel a mini-pack of tissues.

Daniel took it with a half-amused, half-irritated expression.

" Kawalsky," he greeted

A dark-haired, shy looking woman moved closer to Daniel, standing beside him. She put her arm around him. The message was clear, Sha're was very protective of Daniel, and still didn't trust Jack around him.

O'Neill extended his hand to Sha're, which she shook, not as enthusiastically as Skaara but not displeased either.

"Hi. Good to see you," Jack said. He knew that for whatever reason Sha're still considered him to be a rival for Daniel.

"So, she still doesn't trust me?" Jack asked him teasingly.

"So, I... Figured it would be just a matter of time before you had to tell the truth about us still being here." Daniel quickly changed the subject.

"Yeah," Jack said looking around, picking up on the not so subtle hint. "Why the militia? Something else coming through?"

"No, we're just taking precautions. Why?" Daniel asked.

"Amazing," Carter said from off to the side examining the DHD. "This is what was missing from the dig at Giza. This is how they controlled it. It took us 15 years and 3 superconductors to MacGyver a system for the gate on Earth."

"Captain?" Jack asked.

"Look how small it is!" Carter exclaimed, ignoring Jack.

"Captain!" Jack said, finally succeeding in getting her attention.

Carter looked up confused and O'Neill inclined his head, implying that she should come over.

She obeyed him and smiled with delight when she realized whom Jack was speaking to.

"Dr. Jackson, I presume. I'm Doctor Samantha Carter," she said as she shook Daniel's hand enthusiastically.

"What's going on, Jack?" Daniel asked feeling nervous after he'd shaken Carter's hand. He really didn't think that this was a social visit. He frowned; he was certain he'd heard Dr Carter's name before, but couldn't think from where.

"Six hostile aliens came through the Stargate on Earth. Four people are dead, one's missing," Jack explained.

"One of them looked like Ra, Danny," Kawalsky added.

"Well, they didn't come from here. I mean. The boys take shifts guarding it 36 hours a day, every day. We'd know if they came through here," Daniel said.

"Well, they came from somewhere, Daniel. I'm going to have to look around," Jack replied.

"I - I think I can help you find out that it was, but, uh, it's going to have to wait until this sandstorm is over. … We were about to have our evening meal. Why don't you join us?" Daniel offered.

* * *

Inside the pyramid where the Stargate resided the soldiers and the natives gathered around. Several dishes of food were spread between them as they ate dinner.

Skaara made his way through the crowd to O'Neill, careful not to spill the contents of two canoe-shaped bowls he was carrying. He offered one to Jack, who was sitting next to Carter.

"What's this?" Jack asked taking it.

"Drink," Skaara said.

Jack curiously sniffed the brew experimentally. "Moonshine."

"Moon... shine?" Skaara asked.

"Yeah. Moonshine, as in booze. Daniel, what are you teaching these kids?" Jack asked

He and Carter both looked at Daniel expectantly.

Daniel glanced up from where he was sitting with Sha're, giving O'Neill his most innocent look.

"Try it," Skaara coaxed.

"Alright," Jack said as he sniffed Skaara's moonshine. He took a drink, then after a second spat it out. "WHOA!"

Everyone that was watching burst out laughing at Jack.

"Smooth, Very smooth," Jack said to Daniel, his voice hoarse.

"Moonshine!" Skaara shouted happily.

"Our little soldiers are all grown up, Colonel." Kawalsky joked

"Yeah, I'm so proud. Whoa," Jack said. His voice was still hoarse from the effects of the moonshine.

"O'Neill," Skaara said as he reached into his pocket. "Your lighter."

"No, it's yours." Jack shook his head. "I gave that to you to keep. Remember?"

"Thank you," Skaara said feeling a little choked up as he turned and made his way through the crowd.

"You know, he's never let that out of his sight the whole time you were gone," Daniel told him.

"Yeah?" Jack asked

"Yeah, so this - this man who looked like Ra, he must have come through another Gate," Daniel suggested.

"What other Gate?" Carter asked.

"A Stargate?" Jack asked. Wasn't there supposed to be only two Stargates?

"The Stargate only goes here," Carter pointed out.

"I think you're wrong about that," Daniel denied.

"I - I was there. We ran hundreds of permutations," Carter explained.

"But you didn't have what you needed," he replied.

"Danny, what are you talking about?" Jack asked.

Skaara pushed through the crowd again. "Danyel, the storm has passed."

"I'll show you." Daniel said as he stood up "Sha're. Ben ra qui Jack

Villi tao an." (Sha're, I'm taking Jack to see the tomb we fond.)

"Bonni wai?" Sha're asked. (Should I come as well?)

"It's okay. I won't be long," Daniel promised.

Sha're kissed Daniel on the forehead, and then Daniel pulled her lips to his for a deeper, more passionate kiss.

Jack looked surprised and then amused, as the group erupted in good-natured hooting and laughter until Sha're finally broke the kiss, leaving Daniel slightly dazed.

"Goodbye, my Danyel," Sha're said as he kissed her again briefly.

"Bye," Daniel said finally snapping out of it.

Jack got up followed by Carter and Kawalsky

"Hold the fort," Kawalsky instructed Ferretti.

"Yes, sir," Ferretti said, not getting up.

They left the pyramid, walking into the stark brightness of the desert and donned sunglasses to shield their eyes.

"Boy, I can't say I missed this place," Kawalsky said as he looked out into the seemingly endless desert.

"Come on," Daniel said as he led them further into the desert followed by O'Neill and Kawalsky.

"This is just incredible," Carter said as she looked out at the desert scenery.

* * *

"So, I - I figured that there had to be more to this place, so I started exploring, um, this area around the town and the pyramid at first. And after about a month, I found this place. Uh, Captain Doctor, you're going to love this," Daniel said as he walked further into the tomb.

Carter shone her flashlight around the chamber. It was huge, lined by bird-headed statues alternating with cartouches of hieroglyphics. At the far end of the room there was a gleaming symbol - the Eye of Ra.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed. "This is amazing. This is the archaeological find of the century."

Carter shone the light on the nearest section of hieroglyphics moving to get a closer look, as O'Neill and Daniel followed.

"Daniel, have you had a chance to translate this yet?" Carter asked.

"I think so," he replied.

"What's it say?" Jack asked.

"Well, uh, it - it doesn't say anything. Actually, it's sort of a chart, more of a map," Daniel replied.

"Of?" Jack asked.

"Well, I haven't been able to analyze all of it. I mean..." he said as he gestured around the chamber, "look at it. It would take my whole life."

"Well, we don't have that long. What's it a map of?" Jack asked

"Well... the cartouches seem to be separated clearly into groupings. Each grouping is attached to the others by a series of lines, and each grouping contains seven symbols, so you can see where this is going, of course," he explained.

"Tell us anyway," the colonel said, still not understanding.

"All of the symbols are on the Stargate in the temple chamber. I've also managed to chart some of them in the Abydos sky, or at least pretty close. Jack, I think this is a map of a vast network of Stargates, Stargates that are - are all over the galaxy," Daniel answered.

"Uh, I don't think that can be, Doctor," Sam protested.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Well, because after Colonel O'Neill and his team came back, my team tried hundreds of symbol permutations using Earth as the point of origin, and it never worked," she explained.

"Well, I tried the same here and it didn't work either. But I figured the destinations I tried are either destroyed or... buried, but some of them somewhere must still exist," he replied.

"I don't think so," Carter shook her head.

"Then where did your Ra lookalike to come from?" Daniel asked to leaving Carter speechless. "I - I don't pretend to know anything about astrophysics, but couldn't the planets change? I mean, uh... drift apart or something like that to throw this map off?"

"I knew I'd like you," the captain smiled.

"You mean I'm right?" Daniel asked, mildly surprised.

"According to the expanding universe model, all bodies in the universe are constantly moving apart," Carter explained.

"So in the thousands of years since the Stargate was built –" Daniel started.

"All the coordinates could have changed," she finished.

"But why does it still work between Abydos and Earth?" Daniel asked.

"Abydos is probably the closest planet in the network to Earth. I mean, the closer they are, the less the difference in relative position due to expansion. The further away, the greater the difference. In a few thousand more years, it won't work between Earth and Abydos either."

"Unless you can adjust for the displacement," Daniel added.

"Right," Carter agreed. "Now with this map as a base, that should be easy. All we have to do is correct for Doppler shift."

Standing apart from the two of them, Kawalsky and O'Neill looked on unable to comprehend the technobabble.

"Then I should be able to arrive at a computer model that will predict the adjustments necessary to get the Gate working again," Carter continued.

"Okay. So what did we just figure out?" Kawalsky asked, wondering if they were finished.

"Any civilization advanced enough to build this Gate network would be able to compensate for 50,000 years of stellar drift," Carter said.

"So... the Stargate can go other places," Jack said as he looked up at the cartouches.

"The aliens could have come from anywhere," Carter said as she realized the enormity of their task.

* * *

Inside the Abydos Gate pyramid, the remaining soldiers and natives were grouped around the cooking fire directly in front of the Gate, relaxing and enjoying themselves.

Sha're sat with Skaara and another boy, all of who were laughing. She playfully shoved away Skaara before getting to her feet and walking away. Ferretti and another soldier watch her go with admiration.

"Man, you've got to give him credit, Sha're's one beautiful woman."

The other officer nodded, but suddenly the Gate activated. The chevrons started to lock in as the soldiers jumped to their feet in alarm.

"We've got company, boys!" One of the soldiers shouted.

The natives scattered as the soldiers grabbed their weapons and panic erupted through the crowd.

"Move! Move! Take cover!" The soldiers shouted.

The natives crouched behind the columns lining the room, terrified. Children were crying as the unarmed people took cover as best they could. The soldiers took up positions behind the columns, aiming their weapons at the Gate.

The wormhole activated, and two Serpent Guards stepped out randomly firing their staff weapons.

Three Abydonian children tried to run to the exit. Two of them were felled by staff blasts, but the third made it around the corner and flattened himself against the wall before heading out of the pyramid.

Inside, the soldiers opened fire on the Serpent Guards. Predictably, their bullets bounced off the guards' armor. A guard fired on one of the soldiers, the blast knocking him to the floor. Skaara was among those firing at the intruders, and was lucky enough to dodge the blasts fired at him, but was forced to fall back behind a column. Another of the Abydonians fired on the guards but was felled by a staff blast as Ferretti tried to get a lucky shot in. A staff blast came too close for comfort and he fell.

More Serpent Guards flooded into the room as they continued to fire. A final armored figure stepped from the Gate, with a golden sheen to his armor. Helmet up he surveyed the room as another Abydonian was hit by a staff blast. The barrage of energy blasts soon had the entire defense force either dead, unconscious or dazed. Seeing this, Sha're darted behind the columns, fearing for her friends, but she knew there wasn't anything she could do.

Skaara somehow managed to go unscathed and got to his feet, firing at the intruders from behind a column.

"Sha're! Shim rota! Shim rota!" Skaara shouted. (Quickly, go get the others)

Sha're made a break for it, but the Serpent Guard was quicker, tackling her to the floor.

"No!" Sha're shouted. She had to get the others and make sure her husband was all right.

The golden figure and another guard approached Skaara who tried to fire again, but discovered that he was out of ammunition. The serpent guard lowered his staff weapon to fire, but the golden figure stopped him. With a howl, Skaara lunged at the guard, but the guard simply caught him by the throat. His helmet retracted to reveal a face decorated with a golden tattoo of the hieroglyphic for Apophis.

"This is not your weapon. Where did you get it?" The man called Teal'c demanded.

Skaara spat in his face in answer to his question. Teal'c turned him to face the golden man who retracted his helmet, looking Skaara up and down.

"Good choice, Teal'c. A perfect specimen," the man commended.

Teal'c said nothing as this was his god, Apophis and as his First Prime he had to obey him in everything. The 'god' opened his hand and a bright light from a device clipped to his hand shone into Skaara's eyes. Almost immediately, Skaara went limp in Teal'c's arms. Sha're growled angrily and struggled madly as the guard carried her over to Apophis.

Apophis grabbed her chin, brushing her hair from her face and inspecting her teeth. His eyes glow briefly. "You may be the one," he commented.

He lifted the ribbon device, shining it into her eyes until she, too, went limp. Apophis turned to the dial-home-device and punched in the glyphs for their return. None of the guards noticed Ferretti regaining consciousness nearby, blood streaming from his left eye and mouth. Apophis retracted his helmet as he finished dialing and the Gate activated. The wormhole opened, and Apophis went through, followed by the seven Serpent Guards and their captives. Once they had all gone through, the wormhole shut off, leaving the once-cheerful chamber silent.

A second passed and then the surviving Abydonians emerged from their hiding places, checking to see who was all right. Daniel entered at a dead run, looking around in panic. "Sha're! Sha're!" He called out frantically, but there was no reply. He checked on the makeshift sleeping tent by the entrance before rushing to the side of a boy lying nearby. "Bolah!"

"There were so many... so many of them." Bolah said, still in shock.

Carter and O'Neill crouched down beside Ferretti.

"What happened?" Carter asked.

"It's all right. Just tell me what happened," Daniel pleaded as he focused on Bolah.

"It was Ra," Bolah answered.

O'Neill came over to Daniel. "What's going on?"

"Ra is dead. Tau'pa Ra!" Daniel said insistently, ignoring Jack.

"No... Ra... I saw... He took Sha're. He took Skaara into the chaapa'ai," Bolah insisted.

Horrified at this news, Jack jumped up, but Daniel remained with Bolah as tears began to form in his eyes.

"Did you see? Did you see?" Daniel asked, hoping that Bolah remembered the Gate address.

Bolah's eyes rolled back in his head, his eyelids closing as his head lolled limply backwards.

Daniel knelt there, stunned, cradling the dead boy's head in his hands as he cried in grief.

Jack put his hands on Daniel shoulder. "What's going on, Daniel? Could there be another Ra?" He asked.

"How should I know? I should have left the barricade up. This is my fault," Daniel said sadly.

"Colonel, Ferretti needs medical attention, now!" Carter said, getting Jack's attention.

"Go! Help him! I can send you back," Daniel said as he knelt beside another of the Abydonians.

"You're coming with us this time, Daniel. I've got orders," Jack said, hating that he had to do it.

"I don't care about your orders, Colonel. My wife's out there. So is Skaara," Daniel argued as he wiped the tears from his eyes angrily.

"And the only way we're is going to get 'em back is if you come home with us. Ferretti might have seen those coordinates. Captain, do you have the video?" He asked Carter.

"I got everything I need," Carter said as she held up the video recorder.

Daniel looked around the room at the dead and dying Abydonians. Still others were mourning, others look defeated. Finally, he turned striding into the center of the room.

The natives not tending to the dead and wounded gathered around him as he continued speaking. "After we go through the chaapa'ai, you have to bury it like we did before and then leave this place," he instructed them.

"You come back?" One of the children asked.

"No," Daniel said sadly. "I can't. Nobody can, that's what I'm telling you. Not for a... long time. Now as soon as we're gone, I want you to close it. Bury it. Put a... big heavy cover stone over it. Nothing good could ever come through this Gate, do you understand me?"

"You came through it, Danyel." The boy pointed out, causing Daniel to hesitate.

"Do you remember the story I told you?" Danielle asked them. "How the ancient Egyptians on Earth cut themselves off from Ra? Well, that is exactly what you have to do. Then in one year, one year from this day you take the cover stone away. I will try to bring Sha're home with me on that day, but if I don't make it back..." he said nearly in tears, "if I don't... if I don't return then you must bury the Gate again forever. Cho'qua?" He asked them

The boy nodded in understanding.

"You tell Sha're's father... one year," he told the boy.

At that, the boy hugged him tightly. The others follow suit, most of them reaching out to touch Daniel on the arm. After a moment, Daniel pulled away and sadly walked over to the DHD.

* * *

The chevrons on the Earth Stargate lit up as they began to spin round the Gate.

"Stand by for arrival! Stand by for arrival!" A voice sounded over the intercom.

The security door below the control room slid down as soldiers dashed back and forth, preparing for whatever might come out.

"Incoming traveler!" The voice over the intercom said.

At that moment, the last chevron locked and the wormhole activated. Immediately, O'Neill, Carter, Kawalsky and Daniel barged through, dragging the wounded soldiers through the gate.

The left bay door opened, and Samuels rushed in, radio in hand as one of the soldiers shouted. "Medic! Medic!"

"Close the iris! Close the iris!" Samuels said into the radio.

Jack looked up the ramp to see what, he could only assume to be, the "iris" suddenly slide across the wormhole, contracting much like the iris of a human eye.

"Iris locked." They heard over the intercom.

The security door slid up, and O'Neill turned to see General Hammond enter and stand at the base of the ramp as the wormhole closed.

"Wormhole disengaged," someone said through the intercom.

"What the hell is that, sir?" Jack asked.

"That's our insurance against any more surprises," General Hammond said. "It's pure titanium - hopefully impenetrable."

Hammond's attention turned back to the ramp where Kawalsky, Carter, and the others were getting Ferretti onto a stretcher.

"Get the gauze on him! We got to stop the bleeding from his leg!" The lead medic said.

"What happened, Colonel?" Hammond asked.

"Base camp was hit while we were on recon, sir," Jack explained.

"Same hostiles who attacked us?" Hammond asked.

"That's a fair guess," Jack confirmed.

Kawalsky and another soldier carried the stretcher off leaving Carter standing there.

"Daniel's wife and one of our kids were kidnapped," Jack let Hammond know what had happened.

"Your kids?" Hammond questioned.

"From the previous mission, sir," Jack explained.

Daniel came up to them, extending a hand. "General, hi. Daniel Jackson. I'd... like to be on the team that goes after them?" He asked.

"You're not in any position to make demands, Jackson," Hammond said angrily.

* * *

Inside a large dungeon in Apophis' citadel a group of confused and scared humans were huddled. Two doors at one side of the room slid apart to admit a group of men - two armed Jaffa without helmets, two unarmed men in turbans, and three helmeted Serpent Guards. The humans gathered there - Sha're and Skaara among them - warily got to their feet and backed away from the Serpent Guard in charge, who surveyed the group for a moment.

Teal'c pointed at Sha're. "Chal'nok." (her)

The turbaned men moved towards Sha're. Enraged, Sha're launched herself at the guards, trying to take them down, but they easily stopped her.

"Sha're! Sha're! No!" Skaara screamed as his sister was taken away.

Skaara tried to get up, but froze as the two secondary Serpent Guards switched on their staff weapons, pointing them at him.

The unarmed Jaffa grabbed Sha're by the arms. The head guard, Teal'c stepped forward, retracting his helmet.

"Your death cannot help her," Teal'c told Skaara.

"I am not afraid of you!" Sha're yelled as she was taken off.

The three Serpent Guards remained two of them still pointing their staff weapons at Skaara as Sha're was dragged out the door. Teal'c activated his helmet and turned away. The other Serpent Guards followed him out the doors. Skaara tried to follow but the others held him back. When he finally broke free and dashed for the doors they slid closed just as he reached them. Skaara clutched the bars for a moment before angrily striking the door and turning away slumping down to the floor in defeat.

* * *

In the SGC infirmary O'Neill entered to find Kawalsky sitting beside Ferretti's bed with a newspaper in his lap and a cup of coffee in one hand.

"Doc says he's gonna make it," Jack said.

"Guess so," Kawalsky replied.

"You gonna stay here all night?" The colonel asked.

"Yes, sir," the other man responded.

O'Neill nodded and left. As he started to round a bend in the hallway, he hesitated, spotting something up ahead. Daniel was leaning against the wall, staring into space.

"Hey," Jack said as he stood beside him.

Daniel nodded, but didn't say anything for a moment.

"They don't know what to do with me... and I don't know what to do with myself," he finally said.

O'Neill pulled him in for a hug. "Come on. Let's get out of here." He said as he put his arm around his shoulder and led him out of the base.

* * *

Jack took Daniel to his house. He pulled two bottles of beer out of the fridge and then took them into the living room. Daniel was standing by the fireplace and O'Neill came in as he was blowing her nose.

"Here," Jack said as he handed him a beer.

"Jack, I'm only twenty," Daniel said as he held the beer bottle in her hand. "I'm not allowed to drink this."

"It didn't stop you from making moonshine," Jack pointed out with a grin.

"That was different," Daniel pointed out. "There were no laws about drinking on Abydos."

"Daniel, after everything that's just happened, I think you're allowed to have a beer," O'Neill argued.

Daniel hesitated for a moment before he uncapped the beer bottle. "Have you been in contact with Catherine at all?"

"Not recently. I must admit I'm not her favorite person. She really laid into me for getting you killed."

"You didn't tell her I was still alive?"

"I couldn't tell anyone. And anyway, I told her that it was partially her fault for getting her brainiac nephew involved in the project in the first place." He stopped at the horrified look on Daniel's face. "Don't worry, I eventually told her the truth." To be honest he'd thought it only fair she suffered a bit. She'd brought in her naïve, wet behind the ears nephew with his newly minted doctorates when her team of scientists trying to work out what the circle found in Giza was, had come to a standstill.

"So... what happened once we left?" Jack said as Daniel stared into the middle distance.

"Anyway, um... as soon as you were gone and they realized they were free, Abydos was - was their world for the taking..." Daniel said as Jack sat down on the couch uncapping his beer.

"Had a little party, did you?" Jack asked.

"Oh, yeah. You know, big, big, big party. They treated me like their savior, it was, um... embarrassing."

"It's amazing you turned out so normal." Jack said as he took a sip of his beer.

"Well, if it wasn't for Sha're, I'd probably—" he trailed off as he exchanged looks with Jack. After a pause, he sat down on the chair beside the older man.

"She was the complete opposite of everyone else. She practically fell on the floor laughing every time I tried to do some chore they all took for granted, like grinding yuffeta flour. I mean, have you ever tried to grind your own flour?" Daniel asked as he reminisced about his wife.

"I'm trying to kick the flour thing," Jack replied.

Daniel laughed. "This is going straight to my head," he said as he took another sip. "What time is it, anyway? I must have Gate lag or something."

"Daniel, for crying out loud, you've had one beer. You're a cheaper date than my wife was. That moonshine you showed the Abydonians how to make must have put you out for the count."

"Well, I never really drank that much," Daniel replied. "I just showed them how to make it. By the way when am I going to meet your wife?"

"Oh, probably, uh, never… After I came back from Abydos the first time, she'd already left," Jack explained.

"I'm sorry," Daniel said

"Yeah, so was I. I think in her heart she forgave me for what happened to our kid, but she couldn't forgive the affair." The colonel stared down at the bottle in his hand.

"What affair?" Daniel asked.

"Um," Jack said as he took another sip of beer looking extremely uncomfortable. He wasn't one for revealing his private life, but if Sam Carter was going to be part of their team it was only fair Daniel knew the truth. "I was going through a difficult time and I, uh, had an affair with Sam Carter. We had a daughter, Emily. She's been with me as her mother works in DC."

"So, that's where I heard her name. You mentioned her on Abydos the first time you were there? So, where are they now?"

"They're back at the SGC. We're talking about making a go of it as a couple, but it's hard going."

* * *

The next day at Cheyenne Mountain Complex, O'Neill, Carter, Daniel, Kawalsky, and two other soldiers were gathered in the briefing room. General Hammond entered the office and sat down at the head of the table as the others took their seats.

"People, what's spoken of in this room is classified as SCI top secret. Colonel, what do we know about these... hostiles... that we didn't yesterday?" Hammond asked.

"Not a hell of a whole lot, General. The Abydos boys who survived the attack on the base camp thought it was Ra," Jack said as he sat down.

"I thought he was dead, which is it?" Hammond asked.

"Oh, he's dead, he's definitely dead. I mean, the bomb... " Daniel said as he looked at Jack.

"I mean, he's got to be dead, right?"

"Then who's coming through the Stargate?" Hammond asked.

"Gods," Daniel muttered to himself, but just loud enough for the others to hear.

O'Neill and Carter turned to stare at him, while Hammond looked confused.

"What?" Hammond asked as Kawalsky and the other officers give Daniel skeptical looks as well.

"Not as in... "God" god. Ra played a god, the sun god. He - borrowed the religion and culture of the ancient Egyptians he brought through the Gate, and then he used it to enslave them. You see, he wanted the people of Abydos to believe that he was the only one," Daniel explained.

"So you're saying... Ra's not the last of his race after all?" Carter asked.

"Maybe he's got a brother Ray," Kawalsky joked, getting a chuckle out of some of the officers.

"That's just what we need," Jack said sarcastically.

"Wait a minute. The legend goes... Ra's race was dying. He survived by taking over the body of his human host, an Egyptian boy. But who's to say more of his kind couldn't do the same thing? I mean, uh, this - it could happen any time, anywhere there's a Gate, I mean... this could be happening right now," Daniel theorized.

"Colonel, you've had the most experience in fighting this hostile. Assuming you'd have to defend yourself in the field, are you up to it?" Hammond asked.

"We beat 'em once," Jack replied.

"I'll take that as a "maybe." Captain Carter, you're confident that the Stargate will take us where we want to go with this new information?" Hammond asked.

"Well, they're feeding the revised coordinates into the targeting computer right now. Uh, it'll take time to calculate, but it should spit out two or three destinations a month," Carter answered.

"People, let's not fool ourselves here. This thing is both fast and dangerous and we are in so far over our heads we can barely see daylight. We would all be much better off if the Stargate had been left in the ground," Hammond addressed everyone.

"With respect, sir, we can't bury our heads in the sand, but I mean, think of how much we could learn? Think of what we could bring back?" Carter defended the use of the Stargate.

"What you could bring back is precisely what I'm afraid of, Captain. However, the President of the United States happens to agree with you," Hammond said as the officers exchange startled looks. "In the event your theories pan out, he has ordered the formation of nine teams, whose duties will be to perform reconnaissance, determine threats and if possible, to make peaceful contact with the peoples of these worlds.

"Now, these teams will operate on a covert, top-secret basis. No one will know of their existence except the President and the Joint Chiefs. Colonel O'Neill?"

"Sir?" Jack asked.

"Your team will be designated SG-1. The team will consist of yourself, Captain Carter-" Hammond began to say.

"And me?" Daniel asked, not meeting the general's eyes.

"Dr. Jackson you are twenty years old. Quite frankly I have no idea why you were even allowed to go through the gate the first time, you don't have any kind of military training, and we need you here, to work as a consultant with the other SG teams based here. Your expertise in ancient cultures and languages is far too valuable to"

"No," Daniel said as he looked up, composing himself. "Look, uh... I mean, I know this is your decision, but I just, I - I really have to be on their team. My wife is out there, General, I need to go."

"Major Kawalsky, you will head SG-2" Hammond said, ignoring Daniel's comment for the moment.

"I will?" Kawalsky asked, surprised.

"Colonel O'Neill keeps telling me it's about time you had a command," Hammond smiled.

Kawalsky stared at O'Neill in surprise.

"I had a moment of weakness," Jack answered.

Kawalsky grinned triumphantly, giving O'Neill a thumbs-up as a guard handed Samuels a note.

Samuels unfolded it and read it silently before turning to Hammond. "Ferretti's conscious, sir."

Without waiting to be excused, O'Neill immediately got to his feet and headed for the door.

"Dismissed," Hammond said to the rest of the people in the office.

Daniel stayed, hoping to talk to the general himself.

"Was there something else, Dr. Jackson?" General Hammond asked.

"What will it take for me to join SG-1?" Daniel asked. This was the only way that he could find his wife.

"As I said before Dr. Jackson, you're too young and inexperienced for this kind of mission, or any kind of mission frankly. It would be irresponsible of me to let you go, and it was even more irresponsible that you were allowed to go the first time," Hammond pointed out.

"I need to find her, please," Daniel pleaded.

"I realize this is important to you Dr. Jackson," Hammond said compassionately. "But this is a very dangerous mission, I can't guarantee your safety, and neither can any of my people."

"No sir, I don't think you realize how important this is to me," the younger man argued. "Sha're is all I have, without her I might as well be dead," he said sadly.

"… Alright," Hammond said finally. "You can go on THIS mission. I can't promise anything beyond that," he offered.

"Thank you sir," Daniel said with a smile.

* * *

Carter, Kawalsky and O'Neill walked into the SGC infirmary with Jack in the lead. When they entered they noticed a technician was standing beside Ferretti's bedside, setting up a laptop beside the bed so that he could reach the keys.

"I'll take over. Thanks," Carter said as she took hold of the computer

The technician moved out of the way and she took his place, squeezing Ferretti's free hand reassuringly.

O'Neill joined her beside his bed, while Kawalsky stood behind the laptop.

"Hey, Ferretti," Carter said reassuringly.

"Ferretti. I know you're probably not feeling so hot, but we need something from you." Jack asked.

Ferretti couldn't reply; his head and his bad eye were wrapped in gauze and he had a feeding tube is in his mouth, but he reached for the laptop, touching the screen so that the image of a cross-section of the Stargate came into focus. On the side of the screen, he'd already identified five of the seven glyphs.

"Looks like he's way ahead of you, Colonel," Carter pointed out.

O'Neill moved around Kawalsky to stand where he could see the screen as Ferretti continued to type with his free hand identifying a sixth glyph, and finally the seventh.

"You saw all seven symbols?" Jack asked. "This is where they went?"

Ferretti opened his good eye wider trying to nod.

"You're sure?" Jack asked.

* * *

In the corridor outside the Gate embarkation room SG-1 and SG-2 were suited up and headed for the Gate room with Samuels in the lead.

"Colonel, I'd like to remind you that rescuing Dr. Jackson's wife is a secondary objective. In the event you fail to notify base camp within 24 hours," he said as he pulled out a transmitter and started to calibrate it, "SG-2 will scrub the mission and return without you."

"Understood," Jack replied.

"Not going to happen, Colonel. SG-2 won't leave without you," Kawalsky promised.

"All right, let's confirm transmitter codes. Remember, only the right code will open the iris, and if you lose your transmitter, you cannot get home," Samuels said as he pretended not hear what Kawalsky had just said.

"Understood sir," Carter said.

They entered the Gate room just as the final chevron locked and the Stargate wormhole activated.

Hammond was standing in the control room, speaking through a microphone. "SG-1 and SG-2, if you do not return within 24 hours, your remote transmitter codes will be locked out and the iris will be sealed permanently. At that point, there will be no return. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." Jack saluted. "Let's move out," he addressed the SG teams.

Carter and Daniel headed up the ramp, followed by Kawalsky.

Samuels moved alongside him. "Kind of wish I was going with you."

"Yeah. I'm kind of glad you're staying behind," Kawalsky replied as he headed up the ramp. Samuels stopped, watching them go.

The trip ended as a team member literally fell out of the Gate on the other side rolling down a few stone steps before tumbling to a stop. The next two soldiers came through much the same way, groaning and getting to their feet. Daniel was still sitting down, propped against the DHD as Kawalsky and another soldier slowly straightened up recovering from the effects of Gate travel.

"Dammit, it's cold," Kawalsky said as he noticed the sudden drop in the temperature.

Carter stood up scanning the area for any threats. O'Neill had already taken in the scenery – there was no one to be seen.

"Okay, people, let's get the lead out! Let's move!" He said as he addressed both teams.

Jack and Carter turned away from the Gate, as Daniel finally straightened up.

* * *

Inside Apophis' citadel Teal'c returned to the dungeon where the candidates for Apophis' new hosts were sitting. He scanned the room looking past the group of young men huddled together in the center of the chamber until he spotted Sha're. She was sitting apart from the rest, her back turned to him.

"You," Teal'c said as he pointed to Sha're. At his command two Serpent Guards grabbed Sha're by the arms and started to drag her off.

"No! NO!" Sha're screamed as she struggled against them. The other men watched as the woman was dragged away.

* * *

Daniel was standing in front of the DHD as he looked around the position of the Gate, which sat on a slightly raised stone dais. O'Neill climbed up to join him. "It must be some sort of ceremonial place. The Gate has to be a part of their spiritual culture. I'd say this place was built for worshippers," Daniel explained.

"Well, let's just try to be out of here before the worshipped show up, huh? You figured out yet how to align this Gate to get back home?" O'Neill asked.

"Yeah," Daniel replied as he looked down at the DHD. "The device is the same as on Abydos." He pointed to a glyph. "This symbol represents the…"

"You brief Kawalsky's team yet?" Jack interrupted.

"Yes. This symbol represents the—" Daniel tried to continue.

"Good job," Jack said as he patted him on the back. He really didn't want to hear the long drawn out explanation. With that, he turned and walked away leaving Daniel slightly irritated.

O'Neill joined Kawalsky who was standing near the edge of the circle of stones.

"We'll have to set camp where there's better cover, Colonel," Kawalsky said.

"Sir, I found what looks like a trail in the mountains. Looks like it hasn't seen traffic in a couple of days," Warren said as he came up to them.

Carter came towards them as well as she unspooled a cable across the campsite.

"Thank you, Airman." Jack dismissed Warren. As the soldier left the colonel called out, "Carter?" Wondering what she was doing.

"We could set up a line of Claymores along that ridge at ten-meter intervals," she explained.

"Sound about right, Kawalsky?" Jack asked wanting to get his opinion as well.

"Yeah, that'll work," Kawalsky replied.

* * *

Inside Apophis' implantation chamber the two serpent guards brought Sha're in, holding her by the arms and shoulders. She struggled madly and unsuccessfully to free herself.

"No!" She screamed as Apophis entered from another doorway guarded by Serpent Guards.

"Come," he ordered.

At his command Sha're's captors dragged her across the room towards him.

Sha're slammed her shoulder into the arm of one of her captors as they reached. Apophis laughed. "This one has spirit." He activated the ribbon device, passing his hand in front of Sha're's face. The woman's struggles ceased and her eyes went blank. The turbaned men picked her up and set her unresisting body on the table flat on her back.

Sha're begun to regain awareness watching with terror as a Goa'uld emerged partially from inside Apophis' host's body.

"You will be my new host," Apophis said as the snack-like creature stretched as far as possible from Apophis' body before it slid completely free to land on Sha're's neck. Sha're gasped in fear unable to move as the Goa'uld slithered up her neck, its head hovering inches from her face before it retreated slightly.

It struck at the side of her neck. Sha're screamed as the symbiote penetrated, its tail disappearing as it entered completely. She screamed again, then again, as Teal'c watched not pleased with what just happened.


	3. Chapter 3 Enemy Within III

The next morning the debriefing had just ended, and Sg1 and Sg2 were being instructed on their new missions.

General Hammond was pointing out destinations on a star map to Jack, Kawalsky, Daniel and Sam. "These planets, designated P3575 and P3A577, have been submitted by Captain Carter's team as possible destinations for your next mission. SG units 1 and 2 will operate concurrently."

Jack turned to Kawalsky, "You know, I'm kind of partial to P3575 if you don't mind taking P3A577."

"No, I'll take 577," Kawalsky joked.

"I'm not married to it," Jack continued.

"No, no it's-" Kawalsky said

"I want to be fair about it. How about we flip for it?" Jack interrupted.

"How about you go where I tell you? As far as I'm concerned-" Hammond started to say before he was cut off by the alarms as the Stargate started to activate.

"Inbound traveler! Repeat inbound traveler!" Davis said over the intercom.

"Damn, those Goa'uld are persistent," Kawalsky said.

"I think we pissed them off," Jack smirked.

"Closing the iris," Davis said.

"Alert! All defense teams stand by," Hammond barked as he turned to Davis. "Set the base auto destruct countdown at 3 minutes."

"We're not going anywhere as long as the Goa'uld keeps up these attacks." Kawalsky pointed out.

"They can't keep them up forever…. Can they?" Daniel asked as they all heard a few loud thuds against the iris.

"Once they realize our Gate's impenetrable they should just give up," Carter said hopefully.

"Part of me just wants to let them through. Give them the fight they're looking for," Kawalsky said as the Gate shut down.

"Radiation team, move in," Davis ordered.

"Well, there have got to be worse ways to go, I suppose," Jack said.

"You don't think the Goa'uld are sending people through, do you?" Daniel asked, concerned.

"Be like bugs on a windshield," Jack replied.

"Team reports all clear, sir," Davis said.

"All right, stand down from alert and abort the countdown," Hammond ordered as Kawalsky suddenly rubbed at the back of his neck. which Jack noticed.

"Kawalsky, what's the matter?" He asked.

"Headache, took a fistful of aspirin but nothing helps," Kawalsky replied.

"Get down to the infirmary. Get it checked out. Go on," Jack ordered.

"Sir, I think I'll do that," Kawalsky agreed and he turned to Hammond. "Sir, with your permission?"

"By all means, Major. I need you to lead your team to P3575," Hammond agreed.

"Inbound traveler! Inbound traveler!" Davis interrupted again.

"Reset the countdown. Here we go again. All defense teams remain in position," Hammond ordered.

"So this iris is gonna hold right?" Daniel asked.

"Pure titanium, less than three micrometers from the event horizon. It won't even allow matter to fully reintegrate," Carter explained.

"So this iris is gonna hold, right?" Jack repeated Daniel's question.

"If it doesn't, the failsafe device will detonate, this whole mountain will vaporize and there'll be nothing to worry about," the captain replied.

"Ah. Good, I feel much better," Jack said sarcastically.

Later that day Jack knocked on General Hammond's office.

"Come," Hammond called, prompting Jack to walk in.

"I can understand how Kawalsky feels," Hammond said. "This job gives me a headache too."

"Uh-huh. What's the bad news, General?" Jack asked.

"Not much for small talk, are you, Colonel?" Hammond asked.

"How was your weekend? Get any fishing in?" Jack played along.

"I'm rejecting your request to have Teal'c joins SG-1," Hammond said. "Wasn't my choice. A Colonel Kennedy is en route from the Pentagon right now. He'll be asking your friends some questions."

"What kind of questions?" Jack asked suspiciously.

"What we're up against. Troop strength, technology, weaponry, basically anything that we can use against them," Hammond explained.

"I'd like to know the answers to those questions too, sir. But after they're done asking them…" Jack asked.

"There'll be more questions. Possible tests on both of them. After all Teal'c's carrying the larval form of a hostile, a very formidable enemy, inside his body, and Dr. Jackson has been off on another planet for over a year."

"What kind of tests are we talking about?" Jack asked.

"Maybe you haven't noticed Colonel, but Dr. Jackson has been exposed to all kinds of organisms and diseases we've never heard of and Teal'c is a member of the first alien species we've actually run into. You don't think that qualifies your friends as subjects of scientific interest?"

"Subjects?" Jack asked annoyed.

"They are what they are, Colonel," Hammond replied.

"With all due respect, Sir, I don't think they helped save the lives of my team so they could become a couple of damn guinea pigs for US military intelligence. We wouldn't have gotten out alive without either of them!" Jack said furiously.

"Back up, Colonel, they both switched sides once. Are you 100 percent positive they won't switch back?" Hammond asked.

"Yes, Sir," Jack said with conviction. "Teal'c switched sides because he couldn't stand the Goa'uld and Daniel because it was the only way he could think of to save our lives. He was willing to sacrifice his life, his freedom for us!"

"Well you are alone in that assertion. Colonel Kennedy arrives within the hour. I promise Teal'c and Dr. Jackson will be treated with dignity and respect for as long as they remains as guests of this facility. Beyond that, I can't promise a damn thing. Dismissed, Colonel," Hammond replied.

Jack walked into what had been designated as Teal'c quarters for the time being to find Teal'c and Daniel meditating.

"Hey, am I interrupting anything?" Jack asked kind of surprised to see the two of them in the same room.

"Yes," Teal'c answered simply.

"Teal'c is teaching me about his people," Daniel said as he opened his eyes.

"Why don't I come back?" Jack asked not wanting to interrupt.

"The people from Chulak and Abydos?" Teal'c asked.

"We sent the last of them through the Gate just before the Goa'uld started knocking at the door. We were lucky the Abydonians hadn't had a chance to bury the gate yet," Jack answered.

"Good," Daniel replied. He was glad that they would be safe from the Goa'uld.

"Thanks to you two. So how long do you think they'll keep it up?" Jack asked wondering how much longer the Goa'uld would keep trying to get through the gate.

"I am unsure. I would have believed they would have stopped hours ago," Teal'c replied. "Daniel Jackson, I believe that Apophis' interest in you is the explanation for this."

"I don't think that he's going to keep it up much longer," Daniel said. Why would Daniel know? He's never met Apophis. "One, maybe two more attempts. They have to realize pretty soon that they we have a way to block the gate."

"Am I a prisoner as well?" Teal'c asked.

"As well?" Jack asked, wondering whom else Teal'c was talking about.

"Um, yeah," Jack said reluctantly.

"I understand," Teal'c replied.

"We're not exactly living up to your expectations of us, are we? You see, Teal'c, we've been living alone in our little corner of the galaxy for a while and I think the people I work for just need to get to know you a little better. I mean your knowledge of the Goa'uld alone makes them a little curious," Jack explained.

"I will give that knowledge freely," Teal'c answered.

"Yeah, I know you will and we'll put it to good use," Jack promised.

"I will pledge my allegiance to this world," the Jaffa promised as Jack sat down beside them.

"I'm just not sure that's ever going to be enough for them to trust you. To be honest with you, I think they're scared of you, both of you," Jack said.

"I understand," Teal'c replied.

"I don't," Daniel interjected honestly. "What have I ever done to make them afraid of me?" Danielle asked feeling confused.

"You figured out the Stargate in two weeks, when they couldn't figure it out after two years," Jack said. "You were just some nineteen year old man that came out of nowhere."

"I still don't understand," Teal'c added looking from one to other.

"They're afraid that if you were ever compromised, it would be the same as leaving the door wide open for the Goa'uld," the colonel replied.

"Oh," Teal'c replied, looking down.

"I don't believe that Teal'c," Jack said truthfully.

"Thanks," the big man said quietly. It hurt him to think that other people thought of him like that.

"You must be used to that by now, huh?" He knew that it would be easier to make Teal'c feel better after things had calmed down.

"I am a Jaffa. I have served as a warrior for your enemy. I have carried your enemy within me," Teal'c replied.

"Yeah, well it's kind of a human thing. We tend to be afraid of things we don't know," he explained.

"Why are you not afraid, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked curiously.

"Teal'c, I saw you stand up to a God. Refuse to kill, I saw you make that decision."

"Yes," Teal'c confirmed.

"In that moment I learned everything I needed to know to trust you."

"If I had killed you then, I would not be here now," Teal'c pointed out.

"Neither would I." Came the response.

"I will prove my allegiance, O'Neill," Teal'c promised.

"Teal'c, I sure wish you didn't have to, either of you," Jack said regretfully.

"When I do? You will show me this world?" Teal'c asked.

"Oh, you bet. Just not all at once though. It's big," Jack said as he left.

In the infirmary a doctor was shining a light into Kawalsky's eye.

"And these headaches, Major, they started when you came back from your last mission?" The doctor asked.

"Yeah and they've been getting worse," Kawalsky answered.

"Anybody else on the team experience these symptoms?" The doctor asked.

"No. Why?" Kawalsky asked.

"It could be a reaction to Gate travel," the doctor informed him.

"Look, Doc, just give me a horse pill for the pain, or something. It's a damn headache," Kawalsky said impatiently.

The doctor looked at the back of Kawalsky's neck and saw a lump. "What's this? You didn't notice this?"

"What? Notice what?" Kawalsky asked, concerned.

The lump suddenly moved up the man's neck and into his brain. "Arrghhhh!" he screamed as his eyes glowed and he grabbed the doctor by the throat.

"Major!" The doctor said in alarm before Kawalsky broke his neck.

In the briefing room Sam and Daniel were leading a briefing about the DHD.

"So the device should be on every planet we find. I studied the one on Abydos for months. It's sort of like a…" Daniel said.

"Telephone," Carter said.

"I like that," the young man smiled. "In order to get back home all you have to do is dial Earth. Which is… which is what we're here to talk about so... what is Major Kawalsky doing in the embarkation room?" Daniel asked in surprise as he looked down out of the window and saw Kawalsky standing on the ramp with his arms outstretched as if he were worshipping the Gate.

"Page Colonel O'Neill and General Hammond to the embarkation room, now!" Carter ordered as she and Daniel left to go to the Gate room.

In the Embarkation Room Jack and Hammond entered the room. Sam and Daniel were already standing behind Kawalsky on the ramp.

"Charlie?" Jack asked, not knowing what to expect.

"Kawalsky?" Daniel asked.

"Jack? What am I doing here?" Kawalsky asked, with seeming no memory of what had just happened.

A little while later in the infirmary Kawalsky was sitting on a bed while Jack went to find a doctor.

"Hey, we gotta a sick man here! Was the doctor here before?" Jack asked impatiently.

"I don't remember," Kawalsky said, still very confused as a doctor finally arrived.

"Sorry, Dr Nimzicki was supposed to be on call. Dr Warner, Chief Surgeon. What's the problem?" He asked.

"Headache," Kawalsky said simply.

"Little more than a headache, Doc. Just had a blackout," Jack added.

"Hmm. We'll do an MRI right away. See what's going on in there." Warner murmured as he and Jack walked out.

"Take care of him, Doc. We need him," Jack said.

In Hammond's Office Kennedy and another woman walked out into the briefing room where Daniel and Hammond were waiting.

"Thank you," Kennedy told the two guards that escorted Teal'c into the room.

"Welcome, Teal'c. This is Colonel Kennedy," Hammond made the introductions.

"I'm extraordinarily pleased to meet you both," Kennedy said.

"Colonel Kennedy's job is to gather information, knowledge, about our potential enemies," Hammond explained.

"I offer my knowledge of the Goa'uld. I offer my skills as a warrior in defeating them. I pledge my honor and my life to this world," Teal'c said, standing up. "I'm a warrior, but I also offer my skills and knowledge freely as well."

"Well, thank you," Kennedy said with an unreadable expression.

"This is just an informal meeting you two," Hammond said. "Son, take a seat," he said to Teal'c.

"I have a lot of questions to ask so if there are no objections I'll just jump straight in. What can you tell us about the power source the Goa'uld use to power their weapons, ships?" Kennedy asked getting right into it.

"Nothing," Teal'c replied.

"I see," Kennedy said, clearly not pleased with the answer. "Do you yourself have an understanding of the physics behind the Stargate?"

"No," the Jaffa said.

"I see," Kennedy said again.

"Knowledge of Goa'uld magic is forbidden," Teal'c added as Jack walked up the stairs.

"It's not magic Teal'c," the Colonel interrupted. "They just want you to think that. Permission to barge in Sir?" Jack asked Hammond.

"Colonel O'Neill. I was hoping to meet you. Your mission report from Chulak made for the most engrossing analysis of my career," Kennedy said.

"Well thanks. What was your favorite part?" Jack asked, making it very obvious that he didn't want to hear the answer.

"Perhaps now is not the time, Colonel?" Hammond said.

"General, you know what I went and did? I told Teal'c how we all respect a person's right's in this country," Jack said.

"I assure you, there is nothing untoward taking place here, Colonel. Please, join us," Kennedy interrupted.

"Thank you. Hey, Teal'c," Jack said as he sat down.

"O'Neill," Teal'c responded.

"That's Teal'c with an apostrophe. T, E, A, L, apostrophe, C," Jack pointed out as the other colonel noted something down in the file in front of him.

"Colonel," Hammond warned.

"Yes, sir," Jack said, getting the message.

"Very well, Teal'c. What can you tell me about the Goa'uld?" Kennedy asked.

"They rule by force. Their numbers are very few but they are growing," the big man explained.

"How many worlds do they control?" Kennedy asked.

"Many hundreds. Perhaps more," Teal'c said.

"And should we expect to encounter these Goa'uld everywhere we go?" Kennedy asked as Jack mouthed to Hammond, 'we'.

"It is possible. But there are many more worlds the Goa'uld have no use for. On those worlds the people are abandoned and left to fend for themselves." Teal'c explained.

"Is there a leadership or Government with which we could negotiate a peace?" Kennedy asked.

"Some, like Apophis, are great Kings and rule over many worlds as their Gods, but they have no need for peace. If they could kill you, they would," Teal'c stated.

"Could they? They have spacecraft, right?" Kennedy asked, a little worried.

"Without a Stargate, such a journey would take many months, perhaps even years. It would take many vessels, many slave armies," Teal'c explained.

"We're not that much of a nuisance, just yet?" Jack wondered.

"Teal'c," Kennedy nodded at the man then switched to Daniel noticing that he wasn't saying very much.

"I've had a chance to look through your file," Kennedy said as he pulled out a large file folder.

"My file?" Daniel wondered. "I wasn't aware that I had a file."

"Yes, you have quite the impressive resume. You have three university doctorates, archeology, anthropology, and philology. That's very impressive for someone that's only now just twenty years old," Kennedy said as he stared at Daniel.

"I wasn't aware that what I've done prior to going through the Stargate was relevant," the young man stated.

"How were you able to do that in such a small amount of time?" Kennedy asked ignoring his comment.

"Don't answer that, Daniel," Jack said, beginning to like Kennedy even less. "That isn't any of your business and it doesn't have anything to do with the mission." He stared pointedly at the colonel.

"I would advise you to answer the question, Dr. Jackson," Kennedy warned. "You could very easily be brought up on charges of treason."

"Whoa!" Jack said standing up. "The last time I checked Daniel was an American citizen!"

"Colonel O'Neil's right," Hammond interjected. "You have no right to arrest him for anything."

"Don't we?" Kennedy asked. "All of your mission reports stated that Dr. Jackson joined the Goa'uld."

"In exchange for our freedom!" Jack said getting angry. "He was going to sacrifice himself so that we could get away!"

"That may not be the way other people will see things," Kennedy warned.

"Jack, it's okay," Daniel said forestalling his argument. "I graduated high school at the age of 12 and I finished my last doctorate at the age of 17."

"That doesn't add up," Kennedy said pointedly. "How could you have got three doctorates in the span of five years?" He asked disbelievingly.

"I was studying for the three doctorates at the same time." Daniel replied.

"No one is that intelligent." Kennedy replied.

"If you check with my professors they'll confirm everything," Daniel said quietly. The meeting had quickly turned into an inquisition, something he was completely unprepared for.

"Fine," Kennedy said as he snapped the folder shut. In truth he had already talked to his professors, and they had nothing but praise for him. Some had even called him the most talented prodigy that they had ever heard of.

Kennedy knew that there was something else to it, but he just couldn't prove it. No one could have done that much in such a short amount of time.

"Are we finished?" Jack asked hopefully. He could easily tell that Daniel didn't want to be here.

"Not by a long shot, Colonel O'Neil," Kennedy denied.

"In your report you said that if you remained on…Chulak as Apophis captive everyone would be released?" Kennedy asked.

"Yes," Daniel said.

"Teal'c, have you ever heard of a Goa'uld taking a captive?" Kennedy asked.

"It is rare."

"And how many times has a Goa'uld taken a captive that was not a host?" Kennedy asked.

"To my knowledge it has never happened," Teal'c admitted.

"Would you care to explain that, Dr. Jackson?" Kennedy asked pointedly.

"I can't," Daniel replied, keeping his eyes glued to the table.

"Come on, you must have some idea. You spent the most amount of time with an actual Goa'uld," Kennedy demanded.

"I… I mean I hope," Daniel said as he looked up, tears clearly forming in his eyes. "That some part of my wife is still in there, that… she was able to control the Goa'uld." Daniel hoped.

"We're done," Jack said angrily as he got to his feet pulling Daniel up as well.

"No, we're not done yet!" Kennedy said angrily, getting to his feet as well. "If you leave this room you WILL be arrested for treason, Dr. Jackson."

"What do you want, Colonel Kennedy?" Daniel asked tiredly with a sigh.

"You're withholding information from us, Dr. Jackson. I want to know what that is." Kennedy demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Colonel," the young scholar replied. "May I please leave?"

"For now," Kennedy relented. "But this is not over, and I will have more questions for you. And Teal'c, one more thing before you goes. These slave armies, where do they come from?"

"There is a tale of a primitive world the Goa'uld discovered millennia ago. The Tau'ri. The first world where forms of this type first evolved. It is said the Goa'uld harvested among the primitives, some became Goa'uld hosts, others became Jaffa, and the rest were taken as slaves and seeded among the stars to serve them. But that world has been lost for centuries," Teal'c explained not looking at Kennedy as the colonel had so far acted without honor.

"Teal'c, beings of this form evolved here on Earth," Hammond explained.

"This world..?" Teal'c asked in surprise as he turned to face Hammond.

"Is the world you're talking about Teal'c? I don't understand. Ra came here. If our ancestors hadn't rebelled and buried the Stargate…" Hammond continued.

"You would not have become strong enough to challenge them," Teal'c finished.

"Then the galaxy is populated by the ancient people of Earth," Kennedy said in surprise.

"There could be millions by now," Hammond added.

"Then you are their greatest hope. And mine," Teal'c told him.

A while later Sam and Daniel got out of the elevator and walked down the hallway towards the control room.

"So I heard about what happened." Carter was referring to the meeting with Colonel Kennedy. She was very surprised to hear that Daniel wasn't allowed to go anywhere on the base anymore without an escort. She couldn't believe that he considered Daniel a security risk.

"Yeah, umm… I wasn't expecting that," Daniel replied.

"For what it's worth, Sg1 and Sg2 don't believe any of that stuff," Carter said.

"Thank you," he said gratefully.

"I'm gonna drop by the Control room. By the silence around here it seems as if the Goa'uld have finally given up. When was the last time you slept?" Carter asked.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully.

"Doesn't help when the whole base goes on alert every two hours," the captain agreed.

"No, it's not that, it's just that my mind races and I can't stop thinking about Sha're, where she is, what she's become," Daniel explained.

"But you can't stay awake forever," Carter pointed out.

"No, you're right. I'll try to get some sleep after the next briefing," he promised.

In the infirmary Dr Warner was looking at the MRI and saw something in Kawalsky's brain and wrapped around his spine.

"All right, we're done," Dr. Warner said as he got up and went to Kawalsky who was coming out of the machine. "Major Kawalsky? We're all done here but I'm taking you off active duty as of now. Major?" He asked.

Kawalsky turned to him and his eyes glowed before Warner hit the alarm.

The major walked through the corridors of the SGC, into the control room, and flattened three technicians before Carter and Daniel walked in.

"Kawalsky, what the hell are you doing?" Carter asked as he was went to the dialing keyboard to started dialing a gate address.

He grabbed her and threw her across the room before she had a chance to stop him.

"…Kawalsky?" Daniel asked as she tried to get closer to the major, keeping his hands up and trying to be as non-threatening as possible.

As Daniel took a few steps closer Sam got up and went for the microphone. "Close the blast doors. Emergency in the Control Room! Emergency in the Control Room!"

Kawalsky reached out quickly and grabbed Daniel as the alarm went off again. "Help me!" He said in a Goa'uld voice.

"Kawalsky!" Jack yelled as he ran in.

The major turned to see Jack and backed away holding the young doctor as Jack followed them and ordered the SF's not to shoot. "Don't shoot! Don't shoot, don't shoot."

Kawalsky took Daniel into an elevator and pushed one of the buttons. Jack got there just as the doors closed.

"Kawalsky, can you hear me?" Daniel asked. "You're still in there, Charlie. Please you have to fight it."

The other man didn't say anything as he looked at Daniel for a long moment.

"Why are you doing this? What do you want?" Daniel asked, seeing if the Goa'uld inside him would say anything. Kawalsky's eyes flashed again. "Kawalsky... what's going on? What are we doing here?" He asked clearly confused as the elevator doors opened.

As the doors opened Hammond was already there waiting with a group of SF's, joined shortly by Jack and Sam who had run down the stairs.

"Charlie, what the hell's going on?" Jack asked.

"We need to get her you who? to the infirmary," Kawalsky said. "She's is hurt." Who?

Everyone was in the infirmary looking at Kawalsky's MRI as he lay strapped to a bed on his front. How did he get there?

"The parasite's wrapped around his spine," Dr. Warner explained.

"It's a... It's a Goa'uld. Probably an infant," Daniel said to the supine man. "We think that the reason it hasn't been able to take you over completely is it's not mature yet."

"It's what's causing your blackouts," Jack added.

"What are you saying? I got one of those parasites in me? Well how in the hell did that happen?" Kawalsky demanded.

"We were kind of hoping you could tell us. You didn't feel it happening?" Jack asked.

"No," Kawalsky replied.

"When was the first time you blacked out?" Daniel asked.

"I was here. We'd just come back through from Chulak. I thought it was just coming back through the Stargate. We were helping that kid, Casey was his name. It was a sharp… oh god, Jack. I thought I wrenched my neck. Anyway, Casey, he was all right, they took him out of there. Oh god, Jack, you gotta help me. You gotta get this thing out of me," Kawalsky pleaded.

"That's the plan," Jack said.

"I've taken Major Kawalsky off all pain medication to increase his alertness. It should increase his ability to resist," Warner said, off to the side with Hammond.

"When can you remove it?" The general demanded.

"It would be an extremely complex operation. The parasite has literally woven itself around his nervous system," the doctor explained.

"Can it be done or not?" Hammond asked.

"Without killing him, possibly. Without making him a quadriplegic, that's a whole different story," came the chilling reply.

"You just tell me who you need to assist. Anyone in the world. I'll have them here within 24 hours," Hammond promised.

"When I was out, did I hurt anybody?" Kawalsky asked.

"There's one man dead. A few more hurt," Jack replied.

"No one blames you for what happened," Daniel said.

"It's not your fault. It's that damn thing that's inside of you. Look, as soon as they know how to do it, they'll cut it out of you. Right now, you got to fight it," Jack said.

"I don't mind telling you, this is scaring me big time," Kawalsky said truthfully.

Kennedy and Hammond walked into Teal'c's room followed by Jack.

"Teal'c, stand and face this way please," Kennedy instructed.

"What is the emergency? They would not tell me," Teal'c asked.

"That's none of your concern now," Kennedy snapped.

"Kawalsky's become infected with a Goa'uld," Jack spoke up.

"And you wish to see if I still carry the Goa'uld within me?" Teal'c asked.

"Yes, now, please," Kennedy ordered.

Teal'c unzipped his top, forcing the larva to come out.

"God, I hate those things. Have you seen enough?" Jack asked the other colonel as the Goa'uld went back in.

"You understand we had to look and see?" Kennedy asked.

"What are its demands?" Teal'c ignored him. He had seen enough of the man to know that he had no honor.

"So far it's only managed to rear its butt ugly head whenever Kawalsky blacks out. But it's already killed a man," Jack explained.

"Then there will be a struggle for the host body. It must have sought a host in desperation before it was mature," Teal'c realized.

"We intend to remove it before that happens," Hammond declared.

"It will kill the host if you try. Once it is one with the host, it is capable of killing him." Teal'c said.

"So, what do we do?" Jack wondered.

In the Infirmary Kawalsky was struggling on the bed as Hammond, Teal'c and Jack walked in.

"Charlie, we got General Hammond for you," Jack said.

"General, please. You gotta tell them to do something. The pain is too much," Kawalsky pleaded.

"We are, Major. You just have to hold on," Hammond promised,

"Now don't you give me that good soldier crap, General? You order them to cut this damn thing out of me!" He demanded.

"Teal'c says if they do that you might die," Jack warned

"I don't care!" Kawalsky shouted.

"Look, Charlie. They want to talk to it," Jack explained.

"What! What the hell is there to talk about?!" Kawalsky demanded.

"We must offer it life to save yours," Teal'c answered

"No! No! I want you to kill it!" Kawalsky demanded.

"We must talk to the Goa'uld within you," the Jaffa insisted.

"Jack, please help me, Jack!" Kawalsky pleaded.

"Charlie, just let them do their job will ya?" Jack asked, hoping that there would be a way to save his friend.

"No! Don't let them do this, Jack! I want you to kill it!" Kawalsky said desperately.

"His heart rate just doubled," Warner warned.

"Kill it! Kill it! Kill it! Kill it! Kill it!" Kawalsky shouted before he suddenly reared up.

"Nemes Kree! I won't speak to the traitor," Kawalsky said to Teal'c.

"You are in no position to make demands. I have a proposition." Hammond stepped in.

"Release me now or I will destroy you!" Kawalsky ignored Hammond.

"If you leave this man's body, we will allow you to live and send you back through the Stargate in your natural form," the general offered.

"This body is mine! And I will leave with the boy!" Kawalsky demanded.

"Dr. Jackson will not be going anywhere with you and if you are unwilling to leave we will be forced to surgically…" Hammond said before Kawalsky ripped his arm out of the restraint, trying to grab Daniel.

"Teal'c! Hold him!" Jack shouted before Kawalsky could reach Jackson who took a few steps back.

"Release me now or I will destroy you!" Kawalsky threatened.

"Do not attempt to escape!" Hammond shouted.

"I command you!" Kawalsky warned.

"We will open fire! Colonel, stand aside!" Hammond ordered Jack.

"Release me now!" Kawalsky said before he suddenly looked up. "Don't shoot!"

"Don't shoot!" Jack said, realizing that it was Kawalsky again.

"Hold your fire!" Hammond ordered.

"Oh, oh God!" Kawalsky said, realizing what he had almost done. "God, Jack I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Kawalsky," Jack said as he moved beside him again. "It wasn't your fault, it wasn't you."

"Dr Warner? I want to know the minute that godforsaken thing can be taken out if my officer. Is that clear?" Hammond said, having heard enough.

"Yes, sir," Warner agreed.

In the briefing room Jack, Sam, Teal'c, Daniel, Warner and Kennedy were already seated waiting for General Hammond to walk in.

"As you were people. In light of the day's events, Colonel Kennedy has chosen to make certain recommendations to my superiors that I want to share with all of you. Colonel Kennedy?" Hammond said as he took his seat.

"I know that many of you have served with Major Kawalsky so please forgive me if what I am about to suggest appears in any way callous. But I believe the surgical removal of the parasite may be a mistake," Kennedy started.

"General, this is a waste of time Kawalsky does not have," Jack said impatiently.

"Dr Warner, what are the Major Kawalsky's chances of surviving this procedure?" Kennedy asked.

"10. 12 at most." Dr. Warner said. He had never done an operation that was this dangerous before.

"And the parasite? It is an intelligent being after all, isn't it, Colonel? I believe I first read that in your report," Kennedy asked.

"The parasite itself would not survive the procedure," Dr. Warner stated.

"So, we're faced with destroying one life in the hopeless attempt to save another. You see the ethical dilemma?" Kennedy asked, trying to bring morality into the equation.

"No, I don't," Jack said simply.

"My team and I are completely prepared to perform the procedure, sir. We'll do our best," Dr Warner promised.

"Of course you will, Doctor. Please don't misunderstand. We all wish the invading parasite in the Major Kawalsky's body could be safely removed. The facts are the facts," Kennedy pointed out.

"I'm sorry, what was your point?" Carter asked.

"If we proceed with this operation, Major Kawalsky will have died in vain," Kennedy said.

"And if we do nothing Kawalsky will remain a slave in his own body until the day he dies," Daniel spoke up.

Kennedy glared at Daniel before he spoke. "These infant Goa'uld, they're so young, so fragile in their larval state that they require a... I'm sorry what was it you called yourself?" Kennedy spoke to Teal'c."

"Jaffa," Teal'c said, taking offense to Kennedy's tone.

"For want of a better translation, a what? Incubator? How is it they are so intelligent?" Kennedy asked.

"A Goa'uld is born with all the knowledge of all Goa'uld that came before it," Teal'c explained.

"Genetic memory," Daniel said. "That means they're born evil."

"Yes," Kennedy agreed. "All the knowledge of the Goa'uld. I just want you all to think on that before we just throw it away. Imagine the good we could do with that."

"I've thought about it. You thought about it? I think we've all thought about it. Any more thinking to be done?" Jack snapped angrily.

"Colonel," Hammond warned.

"Imagine if we could convince that Goa'uld to share that knowledge," Kennedy persisted.

"A Goa'uld would not willingly share," Teal'c pointed out.

"Teal'c is right. To them, we're nothing. Less than nothing, I mean think about it, they've taken on the roles of our ancient gods. What does that tell you?" Daniel asked, trying to get his point across to Kennedy.

"Well I wouldn't say that," Kennedy said angrily. "That was the second Goa'uld to take an interest in you Dr. Jackson, and what it tells me is that you're hiding something from the rest of us! That cock and bull story you told us about your wife isn't going to fly! I want an explanation now!"

Daniel flinched at his tone, his words stinging. "I don't know," he said softly as she glued his yes to the table.

"You don't know?" Kennedy asked in a deceptively mild tone "For someone that supposedly has three PhD's that's a very stupid lie!"

"DON'T call him stupid again!" Jack said shooting out of his chair. He was ready to kill that punk, Colonel or not.

"All right," Kennedy said knowing when to back down as he raised his hands. "What if we just studied it? How much could we learn from that? What if we just faced up to the fact that the Major Kawalsky's slim chances of survival and realize that the greatest enemy mankind may ever face has just been delivered right to our doorstep. Even if we let it return through the Stargate as a gesture of good faith. How much could…?"

"Just what kind of an officer are you, Colonel?!" Hammond interrupted. "First off as long as there is a snowball's chance in hell that my officer will come out of this procedure alive, we'll go ahead with it, and second you will never speak to Dr. Jackson in that tone again."

"With respect, General, I feel I should take this to my superiors," Kennedy said.

"Me, I'll probably just call the President and get approval right from the horse's mouth. But sure, you go right ahead, Colonel. Talk to your superiors. In the meantime people, let's get the job done," Hammond said as he left with a nod to a grateful Daniel.

Hammond, Jack, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c were watching from the observation room above the operating room as SF's with masks and gloves on guarded the operating room.

"I've held back on the use of anesthetic until it can be administered to both patient and creature simultaneously. Major Kawalsky, we're going to begin the operation," Dr. Warner said.

"I want to say something. General Hammond, sir," Kawalsky said.

"I'm here, son," Hammond said through the microphone.

"If this doesn't work, I want you to give the order. I want to wake up as me or not at all," Kawalsky said.

"You have my word, son," the general promised.

"All right. Start the clock. I'm making the first incision. Separating the primary ganglia attaching the parasite to the spinal cord now. It's coming away more easily than I'd hoped. Must be the anesthetic," Dr. Warner reported as he begun the operation.

"At least it's going well," Carter observed.

"If we can reverse what's happened to the Major, then there's still a chance for Sha're," Daniel said hopefully.

"The ganglia are still constricting periodically. Obviously there still seems to be some sign of life in this symbiote. I don't know how. Scissors," Dr. Warner ordered the nurse.

"There are thin filaments extending up and into the brain. I'm going to sever them," he said just as Kawalsky started to seize.

"Hold him still!" Warner ordered.

"What's happening?" Hammond asked, concerned.

"I don't know sir; I don't think it was anything I did. I'd like to proceed?" Warner asked.

"How much longer?" Hammond said.

"Almost there. Almost. I'm taking it out now. I think we did it. Close it for me," Warner said as he removed the symbiote.

"Well done, everyone," Hammond commended.

Later in the Infirmary Kawalsky was waking up.

"That's right, Dorothy. It was all a dream," Jack said with a smile.

"Can you move your fingers? Toes?" Warner asked.

"Congratulations, Major, you've already exceeded my wildest expectations," he said happily as Kawalsky did as he requested.

"Thirsty," the patient said.

Jack got him a drink. "Here. Easy, big fella. You're not drinking for two any more."

"I made it," Kawalsky said happily.

"See, I told you. Piece of cake." Jack said.

Colonel Kennedy walked into Hammond's office. "I heard the operation was a complete success, sir. Congratulations. And I have my orders to return to Langley."

"Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out," Hammond said without even looking up.

"With Teal'c and Dr Jackson, sir. I have their travel orders as well," Kennedy added.

"You do realize without Teal'c co operation in finding an anesthetic the operation wouldn't have been a success? I think we owe him something for that," Hammond pointed out. "I'm well aware of the threat, Colonel. This facility is the front line. It's the reason this command exists. We just go about things differently around here." Hammond said.

"I see. Well, I'll make the transport arrangements in the morning." Kennedy left.

"You do that," Hammond said.

In the Infirmary Jack and Daniel were visiting Kawalsky.

"Anyway, Colonel Kennedy's probably gonna want to take it with him," Daniel said relieved. The sooner it was gone the better he would feel.

"Are you talking about that thing that was in my head?" Kawalsky asked.

"Daniel's afraid of them, said they were born evil," Jack pointed out.

"You have no idea," Daniel said with a shiver. "They remember everything of the Goa'uld before them. All of the knowledge and memories of their hosts, how could they not be corrupted by that?"

" Daniel's right," Kawalsky agreed. "Those things are down right evil, they'd kill their own mothers given a chance."

"Hey, I just heard. They're shipping you and Teal'c out to Langley." Sam said as she walked in.

"What?" Jack asked.

"What for?" Daniel wondered.

"Study. That's Kennedy's word," Carter said, hating what was happening to her friends.

"Right. Like damn lab rats. Apparently Kennedy's ethics are selective," Jack said as he and Carter left to try and stop Teal'c and Daniel from being shipped off.

"Listen, in case they can't talk him out of it, I'd like a minute alone with you and Teal'c before they ship you out," Kawalsky asked.

"I'll try," Sam promised. "They don't let me go anywhere by myself." Teal'c said as he walked up to Major Kawalsky, Asking him if he could have Teal'c brought up.

A few minutes later Teal'c was brought down to see Kawalsky.

"Hey, come on over here. Let me shake hands with the man who helped save my life," Kawalsky said as they shook hands.

"I'd like a minute alone with my friends. I'll make it an order; does that make you feel better?" Kawalsky said as he looked at the guards.

The guards looked at each other before shrugging and leaving the room.

Kawalsky looked away and then looked back. His eyes glowed again and he grabbed Teal'c by the throat.

"Jaffa! What they removed was merely a dead husk. I had already become one with the host. I give you this chance: Serve me and you may live," Kawalsky demanded.

"I will not," Teal'c refused trying to break the Goa'uld's grip.

"Then die," Kawalsky said as he strangled Teal'c.

"Major?" Davis questioned, wondering why he was in the control room.

"It isn't Kawalsky!" Teal'c warned. He'd managed to break the other an's grip and had followed him when he'd run away. "The Goa'uld has taken over"

Davis was able to sound the alarm before Kawalsky had a chance to knocked him down.

Kawalsky set the auto destruct and lowered the blast doors, then made his way to the Gate room as the door shut behind them.

The Gate was engaged but Teal'c had already arrived, standing in Kawalsky's way.

"Jaffa! Kal Shak!" Kawalsky shouted.

"You cannot pass," Teal'c said. "Are you alright Daniel Jackson?"

"I'm okay, Teal'c," Daniel said. He was scared but the Goa'uld hadn't done anything to hurt him yet.

Jack and Hammond having heard the alarm rushed into the control room.

"What's going on?" Jack asked seeing Davis on the floor.

"He set the co-ordinates for Chulak," Davis said picking himself up.

Kawalsky let go of Daniel and ran up the ramp to Teal'c.

"He set the auto destruct sequence on the failsafe," Hammond realized.

"How'd he get the code?" Jack wondered.

"I don't know but I need two ranking officers to override and you're it," Hammond said as they both input their codes.

Teal'c grabbed Kawalsky's face and pushed him off towards the wormhole. He pushed him through and then pulled him back out half way.

"All right that did it. Open the blast doors," Jack said as the autodestruct turned off, the doors opened and they could see Teal'c holding Kawalsky near the wormhole.

Teal'c was doing his best to hold back Kawalsky but part of his arm was inside the wormhole with him.

Jack ran up to Teal'c side, pulling him further away from the wormhole.

"Teal'c! Hold him there!" Jack ordered over the microphone when part of Kawalsky's head was halfway into the event horizon. "Shut it down! Now!"

The Gate shut down and Teal'c let him go. Jack ran in and up the ramp in time to see a small piece of the Goa'uld drop out of Kawalsky's head and shrivels up.

"He was your friend," Teal'c said.

"My friend died on the table," Jack replied. "Are you okay Teal'c?"

"I'm okay." Teal'c replied.

Later in Hammond's was in his office he was finishing a phone call. "Oh absolutely. That's good to hear. Oh anytime, sir, you just come on down, we'd be glad to have you. Well hell, sir, he's right here, why don't you tell him yourself? I'm sure he'd like to hear it from you," he said as Kennedy walked in.

"Yes," Kennedy answered the phone "Mr. President?" He asked in surprise. "Are you sure, sir...? With all due respect, sir I don't think you were fully apprised of the risks… What about Dr. Jackson, sir? He's a huge security risk… Yes, sir, I'm sure that she'd be valuable in the field… but, sir we have to study him, find out what his connection is to the Goa'uld… I understand, sir," Kennedy finally said as he hung up the phone with a glare directed at Hammond before spinning on his heel and leaving.

"Colonel O'Neill, are SG-1 and Dr. Jackson ready to ship out?" Hammond asked.

The president had agreed that Teal'c would do the most good at Stargate Command, but had also made it clear that he wasn't officially a member of Sg-1 or the Stargate program, and his participation would be decided on a mission-by-mission basis.

"We are, sir," Jack agreed.

"Then you have a go for a standard recon mission on P3575," Hammond replied.

"Yes, sir," Jack said.

"The MALP reports conditions on the planet are favorable," Carter said.

Jack looked across at his team. "Well?" He said before they walked through the Gate.


	4. Chapter 4 Emancipation Chapter IV

Stargate SG-1 Emancipation chapter 4


End file.
